Judge suspended from judiciary following arrest

Judge and author Constance Briscoe has been suspended from the judiciary following her arrest earlier today.

According to reports, Briscoe was detained by police in Clapham and later released on bail pending further inquiries. It is not yet known why Briscoe was questioned by police. Following her arrest, Briscoe, who is a Crown Court recorder, was suspended from the judiciary.

A spokesperson for the Office for Judicial Complaints said: “The Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor have suspended Constance Briscoe from the judiciary pending the outcome of the police investigation into the allegations against her. It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst the investigation is active.”

As well as being a recorder, Briscoe is a barrister at 9-12 Bell Yard Chambers and published memoirs of her childhood called Ugly, for which she was unsuccessfully sued for libel by her mother (21 November 2008), and Beyond Ugly in 2006 and 2008, respectively.